Collapsible poultry-coop.



No. 643,029. Patented F b 6 n. w. ANDERSON. e

COLLAPSIBLE POULTRY COOP.

(Application filed Oct, 19, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

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No. 643,029. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

D. W. ANDERSON. CULLAPSIBLE POULTRY CHOP.

(Application filed. Oct. 19, 1899-) 2 Sheets-8heet 2,

{No Model.)

amoenloz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HALF TO THOMAS H. BETTY,

OF MANCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

COLLAPSIBLE POULTRY-COOP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 643,029, dated February 6, 1900. Application filed October 19, 1899. Serial No. 734,108. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID WILEY ANDER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Poultry-Coops and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to folding or collapsible coop s for poultry; and its object is to provide a simple inexpensive coop which may be quickly collapsed or folded within small compass for return to the shipper after its contents have been removed.

A characteristic of the invention is that all of the parts of the coop are connected together, thus avoiding the employment of loose disconnected fastening or supporting devices which would be liable to become mis- ]aid or lost.

The novelty of the invention consists, mainly, in the means for securing the coop in either folded or unfolded position, and the construction will be fully described hereinafter and defined in the appended claims, in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved coop in its distended position ready for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof the coop as it appears when collapsed or folded for return to the shipper. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the bottom or floor of the coop with the securing-bails in horizontal position. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the coop, showing the position assumed by the standards or bars of the coop as the latter is being collapsed. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of the pivoted braces and its securing means. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, further illustrating the securing devices for the pivoted bails. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of a centrally-pivoted catch for securing the folding braces after they have been turned down over the top of the coop, and Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate modifications.

The reference-numeral 1 designates the base or bottom of the coop, preferably of polygonal form, (that shown in the drawings having six sides,) from the upper surface of which project a series of screw-eyes 2, arranged to describe a circle.

The top or cover of the coop is preferably of circular form, and preferably consists of a ring 3, and a netting 4, secured to the ring. Depending from the ring 3 are a series of screw-eyes 5, which aline vertically with those projecting from the bottom 1, and are connected therewith by wires or rods 6, the ends of which are bent to form loops 7, which engage the screw-eyes, as shown. I Instead of these wires or rods which constitute the circular wall of the coop when the latter is unfolded I may employ chains, elastic coils, strands of any suitable material, or any loosely secured or collapsible connections between the base and cover of the coop.

At equidistant points upon the upper surface of the base or bottom 1 are pivotally secured the braces 8 for supporting the top of the coop. These braces each consist of a hail, the ends 9 of which are bent outward at right angles and have bearing in eyes or brackets 10, secured to the base 1. Each of the bails is bent centrally to form a concave seat 11 to engage a lug or bracket 12, projecting from the ring 3 of the top. Adjacent to each of the radially-projectin g lugs 12 a spring catch or clasp 13 is arranged upon the top or cover, the inner ends of which are secured to the upper surface of the rings 3, while their outer free ends 14 are bent to engage the upper ends of the bails at one side of the lugs 12, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The top of the coop is provided with a door 15, which may be of any preferred construction and either hinged or sliding. I have shown in Fig. 1 a door centrally located and having secured thereto by a central pivot 16 a revolnble catch or holder 17, preferably consisting of a wire bent to form equidistant diverging arms 18, braced and secured by a clamp 19, made of sheet metal and bent around the wire, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, the pivot 15 extending through said clamp.

WVhen the coop is in its unfolded position for use, as shown in Fig. 1, the braces 8, engaging the lugs 12 and secured by the springcatches 13, support the top or cover and maintain the coop in its normal expanded position. I

To fold or collapse the coop for return to the shipper, the spring-catches are raised out of engagement with the braces 8 and the top is by a partial turn lowered upon the base 1, the loose connection of the rods or bars 6 with the eyes or links 2 and 5 permitting said rods or bars to overlap one another, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The pivoted bailbraces 8 are then turned over the top or cover, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, and secured by the rotatable catch device, the arms 18 of said catch each engaging one of the bails. It will be apparent that the catch 17 may be readily disengaged from the ends of the braces by turning said catch a partial revolution, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified construction in which the loosely-secured vertical rods 6 are dispensed with and a series of horizontally-arranged wires 20 employed, connected by vertically-disposed chains 21, provided with enlarged links or rings 22 for the passage of the wires 20. It will be apparent that with this construction the top of the coop will drop after the braces S are disconnected, so that said braces may be turned over the top and secured in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 9 the bottom and top of the coop are of rectangular form, and the wires 2O are bent to rectangular form instead of circular, as shown in Fig. 8. In the 'modification braces 8 are employed, one at each side of the coop, and the securing catch or button has four diverging arms instead of three, as shown in the other figures.

Other changes in the details of construe tion might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, and hence I would have it understood that I reserve the right to make all such variations and modifications as may properly fall within the terms and scope of the following claims.

I claim 1. A collapsible coop, comprising a base; a top or cover; loosely-secured collapsible connections between said base and top; braces pivotally secured to said base, and detachably secured to said top and adapted to be folded in radial position upon the cover; and means for secu ring said braces after they have been turned down over the top.

2. A collapsible coop, comprising a base; a

' top or cover; loosely-secured collapsible connections between said base and top; braces pivotally secured to said base and adapted to be folded in radial position upon the cover; projections on said top or cover adapted to engage said braces; and means secured centrally upon the upper surface of the top for securing the ends of the braces when the coop is collapsed.

3. A collapsible coop comprising a base; a circular top; rods or wires loosely secured at their ends to said base and top; braces secured pivotally to said base and detachably connected to said top and adapted to be folded radially upon the cover; and means for securing said braces after they have been turned down over the top.

4. A collapsible coop, comprising a base; a top; loosely-secured collapsible connections between said base and top; equidistant braces pivotall y secured to said base, and detachably connected to the top; and adapted when the coop is collapsed to be turned over said top; and a rotatable catch device pivotally supported centrally upon the top to engage the ends of the braces.

5. A collapsible coop, comprising a base; a circular top; loops or eyes projecting from said base and cover; rods or wires loosely secured to said loops or eyes; equidistant bails pivotally secured to said base; means for detachably connecting said bails to the top; and a catch device centrally pivoted to the top, and formed with equidistant diverging arms each of which is adapted to engage one of said braces.

6. A collapsible coop, comprising a base; a top; loosely-secured collapsible connections between the top and base; bracing-bails pivotally secured at their ends to the base; lugs or brackets projecting from the top to engage said bails; and spring-catches to engage said bails.

7. A collapsible coop, comprisinga base; a top, provided with a door; loosely-secured collapsible connections bet ween said base and top; equidistant bracing-bails pivotally secured at their lower ends to the base, and bent centrally to form seats; lugs projecting from the top to engage said seats or bends in the bail; spring-catches adjacent to said lugs forengaging the bails; and means for detachably securing the bails over the cover when the coop is folded.

8. A collapsible coop, comprising a base or fioorof polygonal form, a circular top; looselysecured rods connecting the base and top; braces pivot-ally secured at their lower ends to said base at equidistant points and adapted to be folded radially upon the cover; means for detachablysecuring the upper ends of said braces to the top; and nieans for detachably securing the ends of the braces after the latter are turned over the top of the coop.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID WILEY ANDERSON.

W itnesses:

W. E. BARKER, CHAS. G. PETTIT, Jr.

IIO 

